Music-holder for pianos.



H. M. KAUFFMAN.

MUSIC HOLDER FOR PIANOS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 9, 1912. I

Patented Dec. 80, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 120., WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE M. KAUFFMAN, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOUTH BENDMUSIC HOLDER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COPARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF EARL K.PROCTOR, GEORGE M. STUDEBAKER, JR., AND HORACE M. KAUFFMAN, OF

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

MUSIC-HOLDER FOR PIANOS.

Application filed November 9, 1912.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, I-IoRAoE M. KAUFFMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county ofSt. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Music-Holders for Pianos, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to music holders for musical instruments,particularly pianos, organs and the like.

In the common and well-known upright pianos now in use the music issupported on the upper pivoted panel, which is swung upwardly so thatthe music rests against the inclined panel, with its lower edgesupported on a ledge or foot piece carried by the panel. But in thistype of pianos it is impossible to adjust vertically the music so thatchildren or persons of short stature can readily read the music withoutserious eye strain.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of my invention to provide a musicholder adapted to be supported by the swinging panel of a piano ororgan, or the like, that can be adjusted vertically.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a verticallyadjustable music holder that can be disposed within a recess in theswinging panel, so as not to be in the way when the piano is closed ornot in use.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a music holder thatcan be slid into a recess in the swinging panel of the piano and is ofsuch size and thickness as to become flush with the surface of theswinging panel.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a music holder thatis a complement to the swinging panel of the piano or other .casing, themusic holder being disposed in a recess in the panel.

WVith these and other objects in view, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, proportions, size and minor details withoutdeparting from the scope or :acrificing any of the objects of theinvenion.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective yiew of a piano or pianocasing with my improved holder applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an end view ofmy improved music holder with parts of the piano case shown in section;Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4L isa fragmentary rear view of the upper pivoted panel of the piano.

' Upon referring to the drawings, A represents the upper pivoted panelof the piano case A. This swinging or pivoted panel A is provided with aledge or shelf A along its lower end. Intermediate the ends of the panelA is a depression or recess A preferably rectangular in shape, in whichrecess or depression is normally disposed the music holder B. Thevertical side ends of the depression A are under-cut, as at A (see Fig.3) and the vertical side edges of the music holder B may be beveled soas to slide in these under-cut portions. The thickness of the musicholder B is preferably equal to the depth of the recess or depression Awhereby the outer surface of the music holder B is flush with thesurface of the swinging panel A.

The ledge A of the swinging panel A is cut away opposite the recess ordepression A and the music holder B is provided at its lower end with aledge or foot piece 6 preferably of the same size, thickness and contouras the ledge A so that when the music holder B is slid into thedepression or recess A so as to completely occupy the same, the ledge orfoot-piece b will become flush with and aline with the ledge A of theswinging panel A, thus forming a complement of the ledge A It will benoted that the area of the music holder B is substantially equal to thearea of the depression A so that when the music holder B is disposedwithin the depression it completely occupies the same, and the upper endof the depression will serve as a stop to limit the upwardly slidingmovement of the music holder B, thus obviating any danger of the ledgeor foot piece I) assuming a position out of alinement with the ledge Awhen the music holderBis slid into the recess or depression A whichnonalinement would tend to mar the beauty or ornamentation of the panelA or the piano case A.

In the use of my invention, the panel A is swung outwardly and if it isdesired to bring the music nearer the keyboard, the music holder B isslid downwardly until the music holder assumes the desired position,whereupon the music is placed upon the music holder where it issupported by the ledge Z) and the back of the music holder. It will beseen that the music holder may be lowered to a position very close tothe keys, so that children and people of short stature may readily readthe music without serious eye strain, and can have ready access to themusic so as to turn over the leaves. If it is not desired to lower themusic holder it will be unnecessary to slide the music holder B out ofits recess or depression in the swinging panel, but the music may besupported upon the music holder B when in its normal position in therecess A Ordinarily there is sutlicient friction between the slidingmusic holder B and the panel A to support music of heavy weight, such asbooks, etc., thus overcoming any tendency of the weight of the music tocause the music holder B to drop downwardly with respect to the panel A.However, in order to limit. the downward drop of the music holder, thesame is provided with a pin 6, which projects through a slot A in thepanel A, which pin is adapted to contact with the front frame portion Aof the piano, and thus limit the downward movement of the holder,plainly shown in Fig. 2.

Although the preferred orm of my invention is to provide the panel Awith a depression or recess A it is obvious that in lieu of a recess ordepression the panel may be entirely cut out so as to accommodate themusic holder B, suitable guide grooves being provided in the verticalside edges of the cut out portion to permit the music holder to be slidin or out of such cut out portion, the music holder B being preferablyof the same thickness as the panel. It is obvious that I am not limitedto the particular shape of the recess A and music holder B, but recessesand music holders of different shapes may be used if desired.

W hat I claim is:

1. A piano having a pivotally mounted panel provided with a depression,the sides of which are under-cut, and a music holder sliding in thedepression with its surface flush with the outer surface of the panel.

2. A piano having a pivotally mounted panel provided with a depression,and a music holder comprising a plate sliding in the depression with itsouter face flush with the surface of the panel.

3. In a piano, a pivotally mounted panel provided with. a depressionextending from near its center to the lower edge thereof, a ledgesecured along the lower edge of the panel and provided with a cut-awayportion opposite the depression, a music holder comprising a slideprovided with a ledge adapted to be slid into the depression with theledge of the music holder in alinement with the ledge of the panel.

4. A piano having a swinging panel provided with a recess, a ledge alongthe lower edge of the panel, having a cut-out portion adjacent therecess in the panel, a music holder disposed in the recess in the panel,and a ledge carried by the music holder and disposed within the cut-outportion of the ledge on the panel.

5. A piano having a swinging panel provided with a recess, groovedguides along the opposing sides of the recess, a ledge carried by thepanel and provided with a cut-out portion opposite the recess, a musicholder slidably disposed in the recess in the panel and entering thegrooved guides, and a ledge carried by the music holder andcomplementary to the ledge on the panel.

6. A piano having a swinging panel provided with a recess, a ledgecarried by the panel and having a cut-out portion opposite the recess, amusic holder disposed in the recess of the panel and complei'nentary tothe outer surface of the panel, and a ledge carried by the music holderand complementary to the ledge of the panel.

7. A piano having a swinging panel provided with a. depression and aslot therein, and a music holder sliding in the depression and having amember extending through. said slot adapted to rest upon the frameportion of the piano to limit the downward movement of the holder.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE M. KAUFFMAN.

Witnesses L. W. Coon, Gnonon J. OLTSCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

